Video: https://youtu.be/bAMJoI_qRsI

Niccolò Talamanca, Secretary General of No Peace Without Justice, called for the release of Sheikh Ali Salman describing the detention as absurd.

Talamnaca said Sheikh Ali Salman is a well known public figure and his public and private statements were a message of nonviolence and conscious and responsible decision. He added that Salman took a clear political stance that nonviolent methods and methodology would be the best way forward for the country of Bahrain. The charges of violence are clearly a way to punish him without evidence, he stated.

“The further detention of Sheikh Ali Salman stands as an indictment of the judicial system in Bahrain”, Talamanca said. “If the charges are related to his public statements than the  further detention for investigation is absurd and unnecessary. How can there be a need to detain somebody pending investigations when the investigations are on public statements?”

Furthermore, he said the detention and trial of Sheikh Ali Salman “is done to punish him in attempt to radicalize the society to create a disruption within the society to benefit those within the administration in Bahrain Authority who have chosen the path to violence and disturbance against the path of nonviolence chosen by Sheikh Ali Salman”.